When James L. Brooks‘ How Do You Know? first started clocking up column inches in the trades, we knew almost nothing about it. Reese Witherspoon was attached to star and there was the title, which could prove to be temporary, anyway and… then a few tumbleweeds chased a red balloon out of town and the radios went dead.

Now we know a little bit more, including the identity of the two young, male movie stars in talks to join up as love interests for Ms. Witherspoon’s character. Variety tell us that Paul Rudd and Owen Wilson – by my reckoning, two of the four great American male comedy stars of the last ten years, four chaps that I feel I can count on to entertain and amuse me – are each hovering, pen in hand, waiting to see if their diaries can permit this excursion.

For Wilson’s booking there’s no known hurdle on the horizon, but Rudd is also trying to negotiate a role in Dinner for Schmucks (alongside Steve Carrell, one of the other two stars I was alluding to above) and there’s a potential, if unlikely, clash – Schmucks is set to go in September, the How Do You Know? start date is pending but is probably earlier.

If it were to come down to a choice this might to be a tough call for Rudd but I’d think How Do You Know? has the more potential, judging from all available evidence. I might even rest my case on the simple question of James L. Brooks vs. Jay Roach though parading Reese Witherspoon back and forth before the jury would probably have some effect too (and if you just said “nausea”, I’m taking you off of my Christmas Card list).

Rudd’s character in How Do You Know? is described as “a white-collar professional” and Wilson’s as a “professional baseball pitcher”. No great leaps of imagination necessary there – which I mean in the best possible sense.

I’d have rounded out my list with Seth Rogen. I dare say you’ll have some names of your own to add in the comments below. You might even remind me of the funny boys I’ve simply forgotten.

And as for Ms. Witherspoon, lurking quietly in the background of this story… I just hope she isn’t part of the problem in Cameron Crowe getting his Deep Tiki in front of cameras. That’s a real winner in the making.